It was about 10 at night on November 4 when Deshon Odom saw six LAPD squad cars pull up to the notorious Jordan Downs public housing complex, where Odom was visiting family.

On a porch, Odom watched as officers talked to a couple of guys standing about 20 feet down the street before starting to walk away.

Suddenly, says Odom, half a dozen cops grabbed him from behind.

According to a lawsuit against the City of Los Angeles, Odom claims that the officers pulled his sweater over his shoulder and handcuffed him. Then the officers allegedly forced Odom to walk quickly and tripped him, causing Odom to tumble to the ground.

The officers placed their weight on Odom, he claims, causing Odom to hit his head and lose consciousness.

According to the lawsuit:

Officers hogtied [Odom], now semi-conscious, while at least one officer drove his knee into [Odom's] back. Officers beat him with fists and batons and kicked him while uttering racist insults (for example, one officer said to [Odom], "You f---ing nigger, I'm gonna rip your arms out their sockets." He was hogtied and carried "like a suitcase" to a police car.

Odom says he was placed inside of a squad car, still hogtied, for several minutes until the officers eventually released him without pressing any charges.

Odom's lawsuit states that the officers violated his rights by detaining him without reasonable suspicion and by using unnecessary and excessive force.

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